Reservoir release valve



June 21, 1938. E. K. LYNN ET AL 2,121,548

RESERVOIR RELEASE VALVE Filed March 23, 1937 -5 m m "I Z\ INVENTORS EWING K. LYNN WALTER s. ABRAHAM BY Wwx ATTORNEY Patented June 21, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RESERVOIR RELEASE VALVE Ewing K. Lynn and Walter 8. Abraham, East McKeesport, Pa., assignors to The Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Wilmerding, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application March as, 1937, Serial No. 132,419

9 Claims. (Ci. cos-so) This invention relates to valve devices, and with the emergency and auxiliary reservoirs, remore particularly to a reservoir release valve despectively, not shown. A casing section 6 is vice for a fluid pressure brake apparatus. mounted on the casing section i, the casing sec- In a modern fluid pressure brake equipment for tion 6 having a flange portion I which is adapted a vehicle, it is customary to provide release valve 7 to be secured to the lower side of the casing sec- 5 means for venting fluid under pressure from the tion I by suitable means such as bolts, not shown, storage reservoirs mounted on the car, such as a gasket 8 being interposed between said casing the usual auxiliary and emergency reservoirs, the sections for insuring a tight joint. The upperrelease valve means being preferably embodied in most portion of the casing section 6 is provided a single device manually operative from the side with a pair of bores within which are mounted a 10 of the car to release fluid under pressure first seat bushing H extending into the valve chamfrom the auxiliary reservoir and then from both her 2 and a similar seat bushing I! which exthe auxiliary and emergency reservoirs. While it tends into the valve chamber 3. is desirable that a reservoir release valve device Disposed in the valve chamber 2 is a poppet 5 of the above type be relatively light in weight and valve l3 which is urged into engagement with the u of small size so as to be suitable for mounting on seat bushing I l by the force of a spring I4 interthe casing of a brake controlling valve device such posed between said valve and the casing. Simias the well known AB valve, it is at the same larly, the valve chamber 3 contains a poppet valve time important that the device be made strong which is normally held in seating engagement enough to resist the unduly heavy strains and with the bushing l2 by the force of a spring I6 20 shocks to which it is sometimes subjected by interpo ed b twe n s v v a d the casing careless trainmen. tion I. The valves l3 and I5 are adapted to con- One object of our invention is to provide an imtrol communication between the respective valve proved reservoir release valve device embodying chambers 2 and 3 and a central chamber I1 5 the above features of construction. formed within the casing section 6.

Due to the exposed position of the reservoir re- Means for actuating the release valves i 3 and lease valve, snow and ice tend to accumulate on 5 is d pfl in t central Chamber IT W thin portions of the device during cold weather in such the casing sect means including a 8 a manner as to interfere with the desired operatudinally movable hollow member l9 having tion thereof, and ice may be formed in suflicient formed on the lower portion thereof an annular 30 quantities around the operating members as to guide flange 20 which slidably engages the cylincause breakage of such members if an attempt is drical wall of a combined fulcrum and guide made to vent the storage reservoirs. member or bushing 2| having screw threaded It is therefore another object of our invention connection with the casing section 6, the upper- 5 to provide a reservoir release valve device demost portion of said member I9 forming a cen- 5 signed to prevent access of water and snow to trally disposed guide pin 22 that is slidably operating parts thereof so as to avoid the above mounted in a bushing 23 Sec d in the ca n difliculties. section 6. Formed within the hollow member l9 A further object of the invention is to provide is a chamber 25 which is open to the atmosphere an improved reservoir release valve device of simand communicates by way of apertures 26 with 40 ple and inexpensive construction. the chamber l1.

In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a verti- Two similar rods 28 and 29 are provided for cal sectional view of a reservoir release valve detransmittin movement of e mber l9 t0 the vice constructed according to our invention; Fig. valves [3 and IS, the rod 28 being so disposed 2 is a vertical sectional view of the release valve that its lower end rests on the upper surface of 45 device shown in the discharge position thereof; the annular guide flange 20 while its upper end and-Fig. 3 is a side view of the valve operating extends into operative alignment with the valve me be Shown in F 1 and I3, and the other rod 29 being similarly arranged Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing there is prowith its lower end engaging the flange 20 and the vided a casing section i, which is adapted to be upper end operatively aligned with the valve 15. 50 secured in a suitable manner to the usual brake For maintaining the rod 28 in proper alignment controlling valve device, not shown, and which there is provided a guide element 3|, which has has formed therein a valve chamber 2 and a suitable apertures for receiving therod and which valve chamber 3. The valve chambers 2 and 3 is'flrmly secured to the casing section 6, the ends may be connected by way of passages 4 and 5 of said element being preferably moulded into eration, as is indicated in the drawing. A guide element 32 is likewise provided for the rod 29 and is formed and secured in place in the same manner as is the guide element 3 I.

The slidably mounted member I9 is adapted to be actuated by an operating member 34, which is made in the form of a frustum of a cone and has a central aperture at the lower or small end thereof and one or more apertures 35 formed in the side wall thereof. On the upper and larger end of the operating member 34, which extends through a circular opening 36 formed in the member 2|, is formed an enlarged annular bead or lip 31. As shown in the drawing, the upper surface of the head 31 is in operative engagement with the annular flange 20 of the member l9, the enlarged outer portion of the bead being adapted to rest against an annular shoulder 39 formed on the member 2| surrounding the opening 36. It will be noted that the inner surface of the annular head 31 is only slightly spaced from the adjacent cylindrical wall of the member I9, and that the conical wall of the operating member 34 is spaced from the edge of the opening 16 a relatively greater distance. The operating member 34 is adapted to be moved manually or by means of a lever, not shown, which may be connected to a pair of apertured lugs 4| formed on the outer end of the operating member.

The members l9 and 34 are normally maintained in the position shown in the drawing by a spring 42 which is interposed between and operatively engages the upper wall of the casing section 6 and a shoulder 43 formed on the member l9, it being understood that the rods 28 and 29 are held in engagement with the annular flange 20 by the force of gravity. Although the rods 28 and 29 are preferably of the same length, with the release valve device positioned as shown in Fig. 1 the upper end of the rod 28 is spaced from the valve l3 by a somewhat greater distance than that between the upper end of the rod 29 and valve l5 due to the greater length of the bushing H on which the valve I3 is seated. It will also be noted that the rods 28 and 29 are inclined with respect to the vertical axis of the casing 6, so that the upper ends of said rods are farther apart than the lower ends, thus permitting the designing of the casing section 6 with a minimum over all diameter and at the same time with such thickness as to ensure adequate strength.

The reservoir release valve device may be op erated to release fluid under pressure from one or both of the storage reservoirs by tilting the operating member 34 in any direction from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. Assuming that the operating member 34 is tilted toward the right-hand as illustrated in Fig. 2, the initial movement thereof brings the inner surface of the annular bead 31 at one side of the member into engagement with the lower cylindrical portion of the movable member IS, the operating member 36 then pivoting about that point of engagement with said portion so as to cause the right-hand side of the bead 37 to bear against and shift upwardly the member l9. As the member i9 is thus moved upwardly, the flange portion 20 thereof forces the rod 29 into engagement with the valve I5 and moves the valve away from the seat bushing l2 against the pressure of the spring I6, thereby venting fluid under pressure from the auxiliary reservoir to the atmosphere through the passage 5, chamber 3, past the valve l5, through the bushing l2 and the chamber l1, and thence through the apertures 28 and chamber 25 in the member 19 and through the apertures 35 in the hollow operating member 34.

At the same time the upward movement of the member l9 causes the rod 23 to approach the valve I3, and if movement of the operating member 34 toward the right hand is continued until stopped by engagement of the conical wall of the member 34 with the portion of the member 2| surrounding the aperture 36 as shown in Fig. 2, the rod 28 is operated to lift the valve l3 away from its seat. Fluid under pressure is thus vented from the emergency reservoir by way of the passage 4, the chamber 2, past the unseated valve l3 and through the bushing H and the chamber ll to the atmosphere.

It will be noted that since the annular head '31 of the operating member has a rounded surface and since there is operating clearance between the members I9 and 34 the bead will have both a rolling and a sliding engagement with the annular shoulder 39 formed on the member 2| and with the member l9 in the manner above described, so as to facilitate proper operation of the release valve device.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that our invention provides a reservoir release valve device of improved design, the elements of which, and in particular the hollow operating member 34, may be made sufficiently strong to avoid breakage while in service, the operating member being also adapted to prevent access of snow or water into the valve device in such a manner as to interfere with its proper operation.

While one illustrative embodiment of our invention has been described in detail, it is not our intention to limit its scope to that-embodiment or otherwise than by the terms of the appended claims.

Having now described our invention what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a fluid pressure release valve device, in combination, a casing having a fluid pressure discharge orifice, valve means mounted in said casing and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said orifice, operating means slidably mounted in said casing and adapted to operate said valve means, and a tiltable hollow member provided with one or more apertures and having one end supported in rocking engagement with the portion of said casing adjacent said orifice and in operative engagement with said operating means, said hollow member being operable to actuate said operating means and thereby said valve means for causing fluid under pressure to be vented through the discharge orifice and the apertures in said member.

2. In a fluid pressure release valve device, in combination, a casing having a broad main portion and a substantially cylindrical portion of smaller diameter than said main portion, said cylindrical portion having a chamber formed along the longitudinal axis thereof and open at one end to the atmosphere through a discharge orifice, a plurality of laterally spaced valves mounted in the main casing portion and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said chamber and said orifice, a spring, a movable member slidably mounted in said chamber and yieldingly urged toward said orifice by said spring,

a plurality of movable rods disposed within said.

chamber intermediate said valves and said memher, and guide means secured within said cylindrical portion of the casing and adapted to maintain said rods slidably mounted at an angle with respect to the axis of said casing, whereby one end of each rod extends inwardly into operative engagement with said movable member while the other end extends outwardly into operative alignment with one of said valves, said rods being operative to unseat said valves in accordance with movement of said member away from said orifice.

3. In a fluid pressure release valve device, in combination, a casing having a circular discharge aperture and an annular shoulder surrounding said aperture, valve means mounted in said casing and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said aperture, and a hollow operating member in the form of a frustum of a cone and having one or more apertures therein, the larger end of said member being operatively mounted within said shoulder and adapted to operate said valve means, whereby upon movement of said member for operating said valve means fluid under pressure is vented through said discharge aperture and the apertures in said member to the atmosphere.

4. A fluid pressure release valve device comprising, in combination, a casing having a circular discharge orifice and an annular shoulder surrounding said orifice, valve means Lnounted within said casing and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said orifice, means including an apertured element slidably mounted in said chamber for operating said valve means, and a hollow member in the form of a frustum of a cone and having one or more apertures therein, the larger end of said conical member having an enlarged annular bead formed thereon and interposed between said shoulder and said element, whereby when said member is tilted a portion of the bead remains in pivotal engagement with said shoulder while another portion of said bead moves said element for operating said valve means.

5. A fluid pressure release valve device comprising, in combination, a casing having a bore open at one end to the atmosphere, an annular shoulder carried on said casing surrounding the atmospheric opening, normally closed valve means mounted in said-casing and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said bore, an apertured element having an annular flange slidably mounted in said bore, a rod disposed in engagement with said flange and in operative alignment with said valve means, and an operating member having formed thereon an annular bead of greater diameter than said shoulder, said head being interposed between and in operative engagement with said flange and said shoulder.

6. In a fluid pressure release valve device, in combination, a casing having a bore open at one end to the atmosphere, an annular shoulder carried on said casing surrounding the atmospheric opening, normally closed valve means mounted in said casing and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said bore, means for operating said valve'means including an apertured element,

said element having an annular flange slidably mounted within said bore and a cylindrical portion adapted to extend concentrically within said shoulder, and an operating member comprising a hollow conical portion having apertures therein and an enlarged annular bead formed on one end thereof, said bead being interposed between said flange and said shoulder and surrounding said cylindrical portion.

7. In a fluid pressure release valve device, in combination, a casing having a chamber open at one end to the atmosphere, valve means mounted in said casing and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said chamber, mechanism for operating said valve means including an element slidably mounted within said chamber, a spring for urging said element toward a normal position and a movable operating memberhaving an enlarged portion operatively engaging said element, and means for holding the elements of said mechanism in place comprising a bushing removably secured in the casing and having an aperture through which said operating member extends, said bushing having an annular shoulder surrounding the aperture adapted for supporting engagement with said enlarged portion of the operating member.

8. A fluid pressure release valve device comprising, in combination, a casing having a circular discharge orifice and an annular shoulder surrounding said orifice, valve means mounted in said casing and operative to vent fluid under pressure through said orifice, movable means mounted in said casing for operating said valve means, and a hollow operating member in the form of a frustum of a cone and having one or more apertures therein, said member having an enlarged annular head on the wide end thereof interposed between and in operative engagement with said annular shoulder and said movable means, and the other end of said member having lugs through the medium of which said member may be tilted for efiecting operation of the valve means.

9. In a fluid pressure release valve device, in combination, a casing having a hollow portion open at one end, a combined guide and fulcrum member open at both ends and removably attached to the open end of said hollow portion,

vent valves mounted in said casing adapted to control communications through which fluid under pressure is adapted to be vented, rods contained in the hollow portion of said casing and movable longitudinally to efi'ect the operation of said valves, a longitudinally movable element slidably guided by said casing and combined guide and fulcrum member for actuating said rods, and a lever interposed between and operatively engaging said combined fulcrum and guide member and the movable element and operative to effect the operation of said element, said lever having an operating arm extending outwardly through one of the open ends of the combined fulcrum and guide member.

EWING K. LYNN.

WALTER S. ABRAHAM. 

